removing a leaf (1 Viewer)

[monton]

I just got a new custom rack (measured before I put in my lift) and now can't fit into my garage. I have the OME heavy/heavy combo. The truck is raked down (ass high). If I take out one of the rear leafs, does anybody know how much the truck will drop. I only need about 1". F%@&ing S*#ty luck!

 

[brokenparts]

I wouldnt recommend doing that... it'll put more stress on the other leafs and eventually wear them out much much quicker. How about lowering the pressure in your tires or cutting a hole in your garage?

 

[REKCUT]

My trucks always seem to settle a little in the back with some driving. The torque on the rear axle causes the rear end to lower when you start moving and will slowly lower the rear, but I dont know if you'll get an inch. How much of a lift did you get? The standard garage door is 7 feet an my excurision with 315's and a factory luggage rack has always just barely cleared the garage. I have a similar set-up with 2 1/2 inch shackles and I am still lower that my excursion.

 

[Tapage]

it depends .. which leaf .. !

 

[Front Range 4x4]

Air down to use the garage?

I know what you're dealing with, if I add another inch to mine I'll rip the rack right off and destroy about a dozen flourescents getting to my parking space. Damned condo life

Roof rack or lift for me - can't have both

 

[lovetoski]

I built a low-profile rack in part because of height issues. Here's a thread

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=52422&highlight=rack

Another option is to put some heavy stuff in the rear, and maybe it'll settle a bit.

Third option is to switch the front and rear shackles. The rear's are longer (I think).

Fourth option is to call ARB and ask them about removing a leaf. I think the difference between med and heavy is just an additional leaf. If they put it in, you can take it out...

 

[monton]

Thanks for the replies. If the garage was mine, I would cut a whole in it.. but strata living isn't quite like that. I also have the high roof HJ61. My garage says 7' but I vave measured everything in there (sprinklers, lights, etc) to be 7' 2.5". My truck is 7' 3". I can get it through the door and down the ramp but then the sprinklers get in the way. Basically anything will do.

1.I think I'll try dropping the tire pressure slightly (easy option) but am wondering if this will affect mileage.
2.Dropping the bottom leaf on the springs might be the second option, although I like having it.
3.adjusting the rack. nightmare!
4. swapping shackles... can you do this with no problems
5. any other options

thanks.

 

[lovetoski]

1.I think I'll try dropping the tire pressure slightly (easy option) but am wondering if this will affect mileage.
2.Dropping the bottom leaf on the springs might be the second option, although I like having it.
3.adjusting the rack. nightmare!
4. swapping shackles... can you do this with no problems
5. any other options

thanks.

So ya need 1/2 inch? Don't we all?

1. Dropping tire pressure will likely affect milage, handling, safety. Great short term option though. Be careful about speed, esp if loaded. Remember the firestone/explorer deal...

2. Call ARB re removing a leaf. I don't think it's the bottom leaf that makes the difference between med and heavy. I think the additional leaf is near the top of the leaf pack. Upper leafs are harder to remove than the bottom leafs.

4. Swapping shackles is no harder than when you first installed them. Measure them though to make sure the rear is longer than the front. And remember that you'll get half the difference in truck height because of the angle of the shackle. That is, if the rear shackle is 1" longer than the front, you will drop the rear by 1/2" and raise the front by 1/2." Because of the rake with an OME suspension, lowering the rear a bit, and raising the front a bit could be all you need.

5. Other options - carry some weight around in the back. The suspension will settle some over the first few months. This might just do the trick for you.

If it were me, I'd do #5 first, and see if it bought me the 1/2" I needed. If after 3 months or so it didn't lower as needed, then I'd look into the shackle swap. I would leave the leaf removal for last resort.

 

[jb welda]

i have medium in rear and it sat too high (vs the heavy in front but with a sbc, arb bull bar and m12000 winch) so i called arb. they said remove a leaf...i actually had a shop do it and they took out the two smallest on each side. that lowered the rear about 2" but also after a bit my springs looked kinda flat so i put back in the biggest removed leaf and now the springs look good, it lowered the back about an inch over what it was to begin with and ive not noticed any wear or anything (but its not been all that long either...about a year since the original install of the springs and about 3 mos/1 trip to death valley since i put the one leaf back in).

i was sort of skeptical about removing a leaf (much less two but i guess shops arent that good at following instrux sometimes) but thats what arb said to do.

in short i say remove that smallest leaf (NOT the overload leaf) and youre golden

one love
jah bill

 

[sandcruiser]

the difference between OME "heavy" and OME "medium" is the 2nd leaf from the top. Unless I'm mistaken- the "light" pack is different in some other way

 

[monton]

I think I'll wait it out and see if there is any sag over the next month. But I do like the idea of swapping the shackles. I wouldn't mind another half inch in the front anyway. Thanks all for the input... it looks like I don't have to go cutting into my brand new rack.

 

[zcruiser]

i have medium in rear and it sat too high (vs the heavy in front but with a sbc, arb bull bar and m12000 winch) so i called arb. they said remove a leaf...i actually had a shop do it and they took out the two smallest on each side. that lowered the rear about 2" but also after a bit my springs looked kinda flat so i put back in the biggest removed leaf and now the springs look good, it lowered the back about an inch over what it was to begin with and ive not noticed any wear or anything (but its not been all that long either...about a year since the original install of the springs and about 3 mos/1 trip to death valley since i put the one leaf back in).

i was sort of skeptical about removing a leaf (much less two but i guess shops arent that good at following instrux sometimes) but thats what arb said to do.

in short i say remove that smallest leaf (NOT the overload leaf) and youre golden

one love
jah bill

Thinking of doing this also... Did it soften the ride much?

 

[Landpimp]

I think you pull the 3nrd leaf from the top, I haven't done so on my 60, but did so on both my 40 and 45 as per OME recomendation.

 

[jb welda]

>Did it soften the ride much

that was hard to tell because i never did drive it much in from-the-box configuration.

but with 2 leaves removed it felt real smooshy. with one of the removed ones put back in it feels much more solid.

its also hard for me to tell because i typically drive semi-road-race cars with stiff suspensions so my cruiser rides like a caddy in comparison. on road at least.

one love
jah bill

 

[FJ60-Hokie]

I had the same problem, but have been carrying weight around in the last couple weeks and have seen it settle quite a bit. I put 150 square feet of sod in the back and drove it 6 miles to my house from Home Depot. Plus I ran it hard last weekend in Baja. Both things made the back settle.

I still think a half inch may help. I think I will swap the shackles, because I would also like a little more in the front.

Aren't the back shackles thicker for a reason?

 

[kwon-offroad]

Unless they changed the design recently, the leaf that makes it a 'heavy' is the one that has the chamfered edges. I can't find the picture of it in my computer, but when I ordered heavies they sent me mediums instead and corrected it by sending me the one leaf, 3rd from the top.